Internet slams media for the ‘bigotry of low expectations’ for Donald Trump in debates

In an old episode of the political show “The West Wing,” fictional President Jed Bartlett is days away from his only debate with Florida Gov. Rob Ritchie. Bartlett was seen by pundits and commentators as a “know it all,” the professorial type that could prove that he did actually know all of the facts on all of the issues. Ritchie, by contrast, was seen as the plain-spoken, country boy, ill-equipped to hold the highest office in the land.

If this dynamic sounds familiar it might be because we’ve seen this episode several times. When writer and creator Aaron Sorkin penned the episode he based the fictional candidates on former Vice President Al Gore, who many still claim is one of the most experienced candidates ever to run for the office, and George W. Bush, who many saw as the lesser of the Bush family.

“I’m absolutely terrified we’re going to lose the expectations game,” fake press secretary C.J. Cregg tells her colleagues. “You can’t believe how many times I get asked what would be a win in the debates. At this point I feel like if and only if Ritchie accidentally lights his podium on fire does the President have a fighting chance.”

If you’re watching cable news today you might notice that this pattern is repeating once again. The expectations for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton are sky high while her Republican counterpart need only show up and not set his podium on fire to win tonight.

Activists on Twitter have noticed it as well and are taking out their anger on the unfair expectations game to the feed. Some are also bringing up the consistent thread in the Clinton campaign, that more is required of overqualified Clinton as a female candidate than of underqualified Trump.

“Guys walk in there, they bluster, they lie, they’re totally confident,” she said. “I mean, they, seriously, are very use to saying much more about themselves than what actually exists. They go on, and on, and on, and on, and on about. They make up stuff and then they get the job because the woman comes in, she’s all prepared. Her resume is 25 pages long and she thinks everybody is going to just notice her hard work.”

Headlines did the same thing too. The Washington Examiner: “Clinton’s advantage tonight: Being a woman.” Contrast that with The New Republic: “Playing the Expectations Game With Trump Is Irresponsible Journalism.”

Here’s how others are expressing their anger:

Just posting these together so future gender studies professors don’t have to go looking for separate tweets. pic.twitter.com/EhNQBIA4xL

This is a key point. There is zero justification for claiming “expectations” are “low” for Trump. Media themselves are setting bar low. https://t.co/uzm1sZmXcE — Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) September 26, 2016

The expectations for Trump are so low that the press is prepared to declare him the winner if he does this fewer than 11 times. pic.twitter.com/CaZloKBjKR